Review of Josiah’s Oils products, based in Lancaster Pennsylvania —As all of us have different expectations, of course results will vary. These are my experiences with these products, and I don’t expect any product to satisfy 100% of the people who try it.

A little background on this business “Our products are hand-made for our family & yours! My company is named after my son. Josiah is a precious little boy who happens to have Down syndrome. Josiah abounds with unconditional love! Essential oils and green-living have benefited Josiah so much that one of our goals is to educate families about our journey into holistic health. So if you have questions: ask away! A portion of our profits will assist children with special needs (a common theme I’ve seen among many of the small, WAH family ventures I’ve done reviews for is they share a spirit of donating back to organizations of importance to them!). Another tidbit I thought several of you may appreciate is that the entrepreneur behind Josiah’s Oils is a homeschooling Mama of 5!! There are so many reasons that supporting small businesses is great, knowing your money is going to help support a WAHM making great, safe, effective products is definitely one of them!

Preservatives are one of my biggest ingredients of concern in any product. I even avoid using & recommending Sodium Benzoate, a preservative many consider mild & have no hesitation putting on their skin. I will always, always use an alternative that doesn’t include a preservative if one exists, and thankfully they do exist in just about every category imaginable. How does Josiah’s Oils avoid the use of preservatives? I love reading statement such as the following: “We make every product to-order – just for you nothing is sitting on a shelf aging! That way we can promise that your lotion is FREE of un-natural preservatives! Take care of your body – start with your skin!” All products contain numerous organic ingredients. I also love notes such as this: “Don’t see what you need? We will be happy to whip up a custom blend JUST FOR YOU! Just e-mail us!”

I was sent 3 products to sample: a travel-size Insect Away & Hand Sanitizer, and a full-size tube of Sun Stick. A couple of things I really love about Josiah’s Oils website is you’ll find several links to Research Pages and Safety Sheets which share important information regarding the use of an ingredient (effectiveness of Essential Oils), or why it’s important to avoid other ingredients (DEET, Triclosan, etc.). I also love that there are highly concentrated refills available for many of the products such as the hand sanitizer, insect spray and more. Add 10-12 drops of these concentrated oils per ounce of water in a spray bottle & you have a whole new batch! This is both an eco-friendly, and budget-friendly solution that I love to see businesses offer!

Hand sanitizer: Prices vary from $5.65 for 2 oz. travel size- $12.50 for the 6 oz. X-large, with one option in-between. The travel-size is perfect for the purse or diaper bag, and while I always prefer washing my hands to using a sanitizer it’s great to have a safe, effective product on hand for those times when a sink & soap are not nearby. It sprays a very nice fine mist, smells of cinnamon & clove with a hint of lemon are what stand out to me. The website includes an extensive list of ideas for using this sanitizer other than your hands (high chairs, shopping carts, etc). Sanitizer ingredients: “Our Powerful Essential Oils Mold/Virus/Bacteria Killing Blend: Purified, distilled water, Aloe, Organic Cinnamon [leaf & bark], Rosemary, Lemon & Clove oils. A tidbit I found informative & interesting: “Also, essential oils do not kill the “good” bacteria we need in our bodies.”

Insect away: Price varies from $4.50 for the travel-size to $12.60 for the X-Large, with a size in-between. AND, this product is on sale: 10% off on their website through the month of June. Ingredients: ALL-Natural Insect Away Oil made from our tried-and-true Essential Oils Blend recipe including organic peppermint, lemongrass, cedar wood, citronella, eucalyptus & rose geranium! We live on the banks of a river & have a variety of pesky insects. The gnats have been among the worst offenders thus far, and the mosquitos have just started to show themselves in the evening hours. The 1st time we used this I sprayed my toddler down, sent him out with dada & told him to report back in a few minutes. They came in and Dada said, he got bit immediately and I asked where & he said on his cheek, which was the only place I didn’t put it! I rubbed some on my hands & applied it to his face & sprayed his neck & sent them back out & he had no more new bites! It has also been effective against the gnats, which are more of an annoyance than anything! It produces a very nice, fine mist. Cedarwood & eucalyptus are the scents that stand out the most to me. Sun Stick- SPF 30. $14.99/ 4 oz. solid tube. Also available in 2 sizes is a Sunny Day Lotion (SPF 30) and pocket-sized (lip balm size) tubes of the Sun Stick which come in a pack of 3 (great to keep in purse or diaper bag). Ingredients: Active: Zinc Oxide (22%, non-nanoparticle – SPF 30) Inactive: Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Sunflower Seed Oil, Grape Seed & Olive Oil, Vitamin E & Beeswax. I like that the Sun Stick comes in a deodorant tube, as it makes for easy application. The 1st thing that surprised me about this product is although it is white like all sunscreens, it goes on completely clear. It has a slightly similar scent to the Insect Away, I can’t really pinpoint anything in particular, but it has a pleasant smell. I have used this on my toddler several times on his ears, neck & face and once on his arms, back & chest, and not during the time of day when the sun is most intense as it’s his nap time, but I can say he didn’t turn the slightest shade of pink. He actually enjoyed me applying this to him, it seemed like it felt good especially going on his arms, he said “mama do more” vs. attempting to rub in a traditional more liquidy sunscreen that you squirt from a tube, which always is a slight struggle I’m sure many of you can related to. It rubs on very easily like a deodorant, and is not all that greasy, it’s quite convenient! From the website: “How does our NON-Nano particle Zinc work without these harmful chemicals? Our Zinc Oxide works as a physical block – it sits on the skin’s surface; it is NOT absorbed into the skin. In this case, light is either absorbed into sunblock material or reflected away from the skin, similar to a mirror or aluminum foil….Zinc Oxide should be reapplied often at regular intervals to provide continued protection if you’re spending time out in the sun – being especially cautious around the sea or pool and between 10 and 2 pm when the sun is the most intense.”

UPDATE (8/30/13)- SHAMPOO Just in time for the1st buying club order! Shampoo is one of my most frequently asked questions, so I’m so happy to have another safe, effective solution to offer you. I have only used this shampoo a couple of times, as it is a brand new offering by Josiah’s Oils, but I have no hesitations recommending it. It produces a decent lather, not a super lather, but it definitely does lather. I only wash my hair once or twice a week, so it’s a bit greasy when I do wash it. I find with most shampoos the lather/bubbles kind of die once they get in my hair, so I have a hard time telling if it’s the shampoo or my hair/water type. I didn’t follow up with my normal spray-in detangler to see how it felt without it, and I really didn’t need it. The apple cider vinegar is a natural conditioner. I also love that it has sea salt in it. My hair has never felt as healthy as it does after a swim in the ocean, which helps strip any build-up you might have. It smells great, and my hair doesn’t feel oily or greasy when dry. Ingredients: Purified Water, Decyl Glucoside*(from NON-GMO corn starch), Sea Salt, Organic Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Unrefined Shea Butter, Organic Rosemary & Orange Essential Oils*. 8 oz. $9.00 or 16 oz. $14.99, both which are great prices!